yes I have, every square inch.. I am 3 bolts from pulling the motor so I will await the engine stand adaptor, pull the motor and spin it around to see what falls to the ground.
Not sure if this has been suggested, but you know the general area where the bolt fell in, I’ve had bolts fall in peculiar places, so I’ve had some luck with compressed air. If ya have a Amflo style blow gun with some length to it, perhaps you can direct some high pressure air to the area and see if it drops down or out. You could even try the opposite and use a vacuum, I’ve done that as well. Just a suggestion.
This turned into a very entertaining thread LOL. Funny stuff, guys. Hey, G... it didn't actually fall into the hole. It's laying on top of the transmission somewhere. Sent from my VS835 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
In another lifetime I was working on my 66 turd bird and dropped the air cleaner wing nut. Pulled the carb, looked in the intake, down the runners, magnets, suck, blow, you name it. I had dropped sockets and wrenches that damn t-bird ate and never surrendered so I figured the wing nut must have joined the rest of my stuff in some fender cavity and proceeded to re-assemble and fire it up. It seized up pretty fast with a loud clang and then the sound of water trickling. I had hoped that sound was me pissing myself but in addition to that it was water entering the oil pan from a new water jacket access I had managed to create. Moral of the story? I'm not really sure, but soggy socks beats busted blocks. Pull it apart.
I don't have an update as of today...still awaiting the arrival of my engine stand parts from The USA..should be here in the next day or so. Been a weeks delay due to the border being shut down. Thanks all for the advice and recommendations to date but most of all thanks for the humour..yes I know I spelled it like a true Canadian! Humour makes the world a better place and I think we can all agree right now the world needs some levity. The old car community is truly a good bunch of people. Cheers Hambers.
When I have dropped a bolt or nut that I couldn't find, I have dropped another on purpose from the same place as the lost one and watched where it went. This has worked for me before to find the first one, and the second one.
We did that by tying a piece of thread to the exact same bolt and let it drop through the same holes. It appears that it may be hung up on top of the cam. I cannot blow it out, reach it otherwise so that motor is being removed, put on a stand and flipped over. If only I could flip the entire car over and give it a shake like Alchemy said...
I remember one time I had the triple Rochestors off the roadster and went back to put all the nuts on the carb studs in the manifold.Mmmm one missing. Frantic search and pulled them all off again. Not something as easy as seeing it just sitting there. That would be too easy. Used one of those magnet wands and picked it up further down the manifold. Dodged a bullet.
I've seen bolts stuck on the cam between the cam lobes in sludge and on a clean cam just sort of wedged between the lobes. Look on top of oil pump---oil pump pickup? Found them there too. Hate to see anyone have to tear down the motor-- I've had to do it too. Went to tighten a carb top screw at the race track once with a dime-- I know don't say it--dropped the dam thing in carb and it went past throttle plate. Pulled carb there it was, boy I was lucky that time. I do hope you find it though--If you don't you'll worry about where it went forever. I know that feeling too. LOTS OF LUCK
Was doing a 40 some years ago-fresh engine. Had intake taped off. I was working on the trans linkage and a good friend was helping. He decided to put on the carb and did so. Next day we fired it--terrible noise! Nut in cylinder-destroyed piston and had to sleeve that cylinder. Costly adventure. Since then no helpers when doing this stuff.
Yes, please rotate engine on engine stand. This is one of those instances when I wish I were there! Not-so-funny quickie about rags covering open holes: Few years back, some local 'racers' had just finished the bottom end of their BBC, 502". They laid shop towels in the blower manifold, forgot they were in there...assembled the top, fired it, and crushed 3 or 4 brand new Aria$ pistons! =Boom!= Foreign objects are not welcome in engines and children.
Well after a hiatus awaiting for my engine stand adaptor due to UPS ( don't get me started ), the bolt is out! My son and I pulled the motor this past weekend, put it on the stand and turned it upside down. A couple clinks and a ting and there it was on the ground...one SS bolt. An ordeal I wish not to part of again and a valuable lesson in in not being proactive protecting all openings in an open motor. I want to thank all of you for your suggestions, support and most of all your wise cracking! Kept me motivated to get the damn thing out. Now its onto replacing the welch plugs ( they are pretty much disintegrated ), cleaning up the engine and giving it a new coat of paint before I put it back in. Cheers all. Stay safe.
Thanks for keeping us updated right up through the conclusion of your ordeal. Far too often we are left wondering and guessing as to how everything turns out including the method of fix. A pain now for sure but think of it as a possible blessing in disguise, plug(s) could have ended their useful life out on the road in the middle of nowhere on a dark and stormy night. Ed
So glad all is well. Your post refreshed my awareness. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app